How the brain's lymphatic system helps regrow neurons after injury
Lymphatic Support of Neurogenesis and Regeneration
['FUNDING_R01'] · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · NIH-11237134
Researchers are testing whether the brain's lymphatic vessels help the brain make new nerve cells and recover after stroke or traumatic brain injury in people.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11237134 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From my point of view, the team will look at how the meningeal (brain) lymphatic vessels behave during normal life and after injury, using animal models like zebrafish and mammalian systems. They will block or boost lymphatic growth and track immune cells and signals to see how those changes affect the brain's ability to make new neurons and avoid scarring. The work builds on earlier findings that lymphatics help heart regeneration and asks whether similar mechanisms help the brain heal after stroke or head injury. If the mechanisms are found, the researchers plan to use that knowledge to point toward treatments that encourage brain repair.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have experienced a stroke or traumatic brain injury and are interested in research on promoting brain repair would be the most relevant candidates for related future studies.
Not a fit: People without brain injury or those with conditions unrelated to central nervous system repair are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to improve brain repair and reduce scarring after stroke or traumatic brain injury.
How similar studies have performed: Related work showed lymphatics aid regeneration in the zebrafish heart, but applying this concept to brain repair is relatively new and not yet proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HARRISON, MICHAEL — WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- Study coordinator: HARRISON, MICHAEL
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury